Chapter in "Oxford Handbook of Neo-Latin", ed. Stefan Tilg and Sarah Knight (OUP, 2015)

In “How to Disappear,” a song from her last album, Norman Fucking Rockwell!, Lana Del Rey leads us to expect a how-to manual, but she gives us a poem instead: “Now it’s been years since I left New York / I got a kid and two cats in the yard / The California sun and the movie stars I watch the skies getting light as I write / As I think about those years / As I whisper in your ear / I’m always gon’ to be right here / No one’s going anywhere.” Such an unabashed display of sentimentality is compounded by the photographic and/or painterly image on the album’s cover, in which Del Rey clings to a man, a handsome man, and she clings to the American flag and Americana, and she clings to kitsch and she clings to melodrama and the problematic histories that each of these normative and patriarchal phenomena might provide, even as they all sink together. Staying with the doomed ship (loving the doomed ship, even) is an act of radical generosity.

Sur la base de nombreuses sources écrites et orales, nous avons tenté de faire ressortir les principales thématiques qui traversent les chants éthiopiens. Aux éloges et bénédictions s’ajoutent l’expression de l’identité et de la culture, ainsi que des formes particulières de poésies chantées, qui varient selon les cultures éthiopiennes.

In light of current difficulties and the prevalence of mental health issues, music-a powerful medium for emotional expression and narrative-has historically addressed resilience, mental health, and personal challenges. This research explores the representation of mental health in selected contemporary music, recognizing the current societal emphasis on mental well-being. Despite numerous studies exploring the impact of music, there is a need for further research to analyze songs that specifically address personal struggles. Grounded in Narrative Psychology Theory, the study employs descriptive qualitative research to explore the nuances of mental health expressions in a purposively selected sample of 12 songs from diverse genres released within the last decade. Thematic analysis reveals prevalent themes related to personal struggles, mental health issues, and overcoming adversities, providing insights into how musicians navigate and articulate mental health experiences. Using pseudonyms ensures confidentiality in reporting findings in an interconnected narrative format. The study underscores the vital role of music as a medium for expressing and understanding mental health experiences, offering resonance to listeners, and contributing to the cultural discourse on mental well-being. Exploring diverse themes in contemporary songs enriches our understanding of the multifaceted dimensions of mental health in today's culture.